Vernon Philander was the main destroyer as the West Indian batting crumbled on the third day of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park on Friday.

Philander took four for 29 as the West Indies were bowled out for 201 and forced to follow on, 351 runs behind South Africa's first-innings total of 5-552 declared.

Philander struck again early in the second innings when he dismissed Devon Smith for the second time in the day.

West Indies were 2-76 at the close, still needing 275 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

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There was a setback for South Africa, however, as strike bowler Dale Steyn limped off the field after bowling only five balls in the follow-on innings.

Steyn returned and was on the field long enough to be eligible to bowl at the start of Saturday's play.

Philander, who had taken only four wickets at high cost in his previous four Test matches, did not take a wicket in his opening spell on Friday but transformed the match when he came back for a second spell.

After a good start by opening batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite and Smith, the West Indian batting disintegrated in dispiriting fashion.

Brathwaite and Smith saw off South Africa's new ball attack, putting on 72 for the first wicket before Philander dismissed both openers in successive overs.

The right-handed Brathwaite looked solid and well organised from the start but the left-handed Smith survived a confident appeal - and an unsuccessful review - for leg before wicket by Philander with his score on five in the second over.

Smith went on to make 35 before being caught behind off Philander's fourth ball of his second spell.

He was given not out by umpire Billy Bowden but Philander immediately asked for a review which showed a faint bottom edge as Smith played a cramped pull shot.

Brathwaite fell for 34 in Philander's next over, edging a low catch to Hashim Amla at first slip.

Philander took two for two in four overs in his second spell.

Kyle Abbott had Leon Johnson caught at cover for 33 after lunch and Morne Morkel took the important wicket of Marlon Samuels, who chopped the ball on to his stumps after making 33 - the fourth successive batsman to be dismissed in the thirties.

That left Shivnarine Chanderpaul holding West Indian hopes but Philander returned to the attack and had the veteran left-hander caught at second slip for 21, with Jermaine Blackwood following in similar fashion in the last over before tea.

The rest of the batting crumbled after tea while Kemar Roach did not bat after suffering an ankle injury while bowling.

Morkel finished with three for 55.

Smith made only five in the second innings before he was caught by a diving substitute fielder Temba Bavuma at cover. He was given out by umpire Aleem Dar and asked for a review, which showed the ball had looped off pad and bat.

Brathwaite was out for 20 when he edged Morkel high to second slip.

Bavuma and Robin Peterson fielded throughout the day because wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock sprained his right ankle while warming up before play, while Faf du Plessis returned to the team hotel because of illness.

AB de Villiers kept wicket. With Steyn off the field and Philander also going off briefly, at one stage South Africa had four substitutes on the field.